Mobile paper record processing system

• US 6,991,158 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2005
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ralf Maximilian Munte
• Original Assignee: Ralf Maximilian Munte
• Inventors: Munte, Ralf Maximilian
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trail, Allyson N
• Application Number:
  US10/907,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20050205660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 321 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/382, 235/472.01, 235/470, 705/16, 705 42- 44, 705/65
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/047 using payment protocols involving electronic receipts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/389 Keeping log of transactions for guaranteeing non-repudiation of a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists

Abstract

A method is disclosed for electronically capturing and storing paper records for accounting purposes using a mobile handheld device with an integrated digital camera or scanner. This method involves digitalizing a paper receipt with a digital camera or scanner, manually entering accounting data into a form presented on the display of a handheld device and performing a wireless transmission of the digital image of the paper record together with the entered information to a record storing system. The storing system securely stores the digital image of the record for future references and transmits manual entered record data to an accounting application using existing telecommunication or data networks.

Claims

1. A method performed with respect to a plurality of hand-held mobile self-powered wireless devices, a wide-area wireless communications network communicatively coupled with the plurality of mobile self-powered wireless devices, and an accounting system at a fixed location, the accounting system communicatively coupled with the wide-area wireless communications network, each mobile self-powered wireless device having a memory, a human input device, a display, and an imaging device, the memory storing a plurality of tag texts, the method comprising the steps of:

by a first user at a first location, employing the imaging device of a respective first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to capture an image of a first document;

by the first user at the first location, employing the human input device of the respective first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to tag the image of the first document with one of the plurality of tag texts stored in the memory of the respective first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device and with first numerical information indicative of the first document;

by the first user at the first location, causing the respective first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to commence transmission of the image of the first document and the tag and the first numerical information indicative of the first document through the wide-area wireless communications network to the accounting system;

by the accounting system, storing the first image and the tag and the first numerical information indicative of the first document along with information indicative of an identity of the first user;

by a second user at a second location differing from the first location, employing the imaging device of a respective second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to capture an image of a second document;

by the second user at the second location, employing the human input device of the respective second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to tag the image of the second document with one of the plurality of tag texts stored in the memory of the respective second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device and with second numerical information indicative of the second document;

by the second user, causing the respective second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to commence transmission of the image of the second document and the tag and the second numerical information indicative of the second document through the wide-area wireless communications network to the accounting system;

by the accounting system, storing the second image and the tag and the second numerical information indicative of the second document along with information indicative of an identity of the second user;

by the first user at a third location differing from the first location and differing from the second location, employing the imaging device of the respective first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to capture an image of a third document;

by the first user at the third location, employing the human input device of the respective first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to tag the image of the third document with one of the plurality of tag texts stored in the memory of the respective first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device and with third numerical information indicative of the third document;

by the first user at the third location, causing the respective first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to commence transmission of the image of the third document and the tag and the third numerical information indicative of the third document through the wide-area wireless communications network to the accounting system;

by the accounting system, storing the third image and the tag and the third numerical information indicative of the third document along with information indicative of the identity of the first user;

by the second user at a fourth location differing from the first location, differing from the second location, and differing from the third location, employing the imaging device of the respective second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to capture an image of a fourth document;

by the second user at the fourth location, employing the human input device of the respective second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to tag the image of the fourth document with one of the plurality of tag texts stored in the memory of the respective second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device and with fourth numerical information indicative of the fourth document;

by the second user, causing the respective second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to commence transmission of the image of the fourth document and the tag and the fourth numerical information indicative of the fourth document through the wide-area wireless communications network to the accounting system;

by the accounting system, storing the fourth image and the tag and the fourth numerical information indicative of the fourth document along with information indicative of the identity of the second user;

by the accounting system, causing a first new and different tag text to be communicated wirelessly to the first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device;

by the accounting system, causing a second new and different tag text to be communicated wirelessly to the second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device;

by the first user at a fifth location differing from the first location, differing from the second location, differing from the third location, and differing from the fourth location, employing the imaging device of the respective first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to capture an image of a fifth document;

by the first user at the fifth location, employing the human input device of the respective first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to tag the image of the fifth document with the first new and different tag text stored in the memory of the respective first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device and with fifth numerical information indicative of the fifth document;

by the first user at the fifth location, causing the respective first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to commence transmission of the image of the fifth document and the tag and the fifth numerical information indicative of the fifth document through the wide-area wireless communications network to the accounting system;

by the accounting system, storing the fifth image and the tag and the fifth numerical information indicative of the fifth document along with information indicative of the identity of the first user;

by the second user at a sixth location differing from the first location, differing from the second location, differing from the third location, differing from the fourth location, and differing from the fifth location, employing the imaging device of the respective second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to capture an image of a sixth document;

by the second user at the sixth location, employing the human input device of the respective second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to tag the image of the sixth document with the second new and different text tag stored in the memory of the respective second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device and with sixth numerical information indicative of the sixth document;

by the second user at the sixth location, causing the respective second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to commence transmission of the image of the sixth document and the tag and the sixth numerical information indicative of the sixth document through the wide-area wireless communications network to the accounting system;

by the accounting system, storing the sixth image and the tag and the sixth numerical information indicative of the sixth document along with information indicative of the identity of the second user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the human input device is a keyboard.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the human input device is a touchpad.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the human input device is a touchscreen.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the imaging device is a camera.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein each hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device is a wireless telephone.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the wireless telephone is a PCS telephone.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of;

by a human user, reviewing each of the stored images and the stored image'"'"'s associated tag;

for each stored image, posting information indicative of the stored image and the stored image'"'"'s associated tag and the stored image'"'"'s associated numerical information to a system of financial accounts.

9. A method performed with respect to a plurality of hand-held mobile self-powered wireless devices, a wide-area wireless communications network communicatively coupled with the plurality of mobile self-powered wireless devices, and an accounting system at a fixed location, the accounting system communicatively coupled with the wide-area wireless communications network, each mobile self-powered wireless device having a memory, a human input device, a display, and an imaging device, the memory storing a plurality of tag texts, the method comprising the steps of:

by a first user at a first location, employing the imaging device of a respective first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to capture an image of a first document;

by the first user at the first location, employing the human input device of the respective first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to tag the image of the first document with one of the plurality of tag texts stored in the memory of the respective first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device and with first numerical information indicative of the first document;

by the first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device, finding that the first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device lacks data connectivity to the wide-area wireless communications network;

at a later time, by the first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device, finding that the first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device has data connectivity to the wide-area wireless communications network;

by the first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device, transmitting the image of the first document and the tag and the first numerical information indicative of the first document through the wide-area wireless communications network to the accounting system;

by the accounting system, storing the first image and the tag and the first numerical information indicative of the first document along with information indicative of an identity of the first user;

by a second user at a second location differing from the first location, employing the imaging device of a respective second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to capture an image of a second document;

by the second user at the second location, employing the human input device of the respective second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to tag the image of the second document with one of the plurality of tag texts stored in the memory of the respective second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device and with second numerical information indicative of the second document;

by the second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device, finding that the second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device lacks data connectivity to the wide-area wireless communications network;

at a later time, by the second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device, finding that the second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device has data connectivity to the wide-area wireless communications network;

by the second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device, transmitting the image of the second document and the tag and the second numerical information indicative of the second document through the wide-area wireless communications network to the accounting system;

by the accounting system, storing the second image and the tag and the second numerical information indicative of the second document along with information indicative of an identity of the second user.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the finding of the lack of data connectivity and the finding of data connectivity define an interval, and the interval is at least five minutes.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the interval is at least an hour.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the human input device is a keyboard.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the human input device is a touchpad.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the human input device is a touchscreen.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the imaging device is a camera.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein each hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device is a wireless telephone.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the wireless telephone is a PCS telephone.

18. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of;

by a human user, reviewing each of the stored images and the stored image'"'"'s associated tag;

for each stored image, posting information indicative of the stored image and the stored image'"'"'s associated tag and the stored image'"'"'s associated numerical information to a system of financial accounts.

19. A system relating to storage and handling of documents, the system comprising:

a multiplicity of hand-held mobile self-powered wireless devices,

a wide-area wireless communications network communicatively coupled with the plurality of mobile self-powered wireless devices, and

an accounting system at a fixed location, the accounting system communicatively coupled with the wide-area wireless communications network,

each mobile self-powered wireless device having a memory, a human input device, a display, and an imaging device, the memory storing a plurality of tag texts;

each mobile self-powered wireless device having means providing a user interface by which a user may employ the imaging device to capture an image of a document, and may employ the human input device to tag the image of the document with one of the plurality of tag texts stored in the memory of the hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device and to tag the image of the document with first numerical information indicative of the first document;

each mobile self-powered wireless device having means acquiring information as to whether the wireless device has data connectivity through the wide-area wireless communications network, said means disposed to store the image and tag and numerical information until such time as data connectivity is available, and at such time as data connectivity is available, to transmit the image and tag and numerical information through the wide-area wireless communications network to the accounting system;

the accounting system disposed to store received image and tag and the numerical information along with information indicative of the identity of the user associated therewith;

each mobile self-powered wireless device having means responsive to a communication from the accounting system, communicating a new and different tag text to be communicated wirelessly to the hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device, said new and different text tag thereafter being available to a user by means of the user interface of the mobile self-powered wireless device.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the human input device is a keyboard.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the human input device is a touchpad.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein the human input device is a touchscreen.

23. The system of claim 19 wherein the imaging device is a camera.

24. The system of claim 19 wherein each hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device is a wireless telephone.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the wireless telephone is a PCS telephone.

26. A method performed with respect to a plurality of hand-held mobile self-powered wireless devices, a wide-area wireless communications network communicatively coupled with the plurality of mobile self-powered wireless devices, and an accounting system at a fixed location, the accounting system communicatively coupled with the wide-area wireless communications network, each mobile self-powered wireless device having a memory, a human input device, a display, and an imaging device, the memory storing a plurality of tag texts, the method comprising the steps of:

by a first user at a first location, employing the imaging device of a respective first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to capture an image of a first document;

by the first user at the first location, employing the human input device of the respective first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to tag the image of the first document with one of the plurality of tag texts stored in the memory of the respective first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device and with first numerical information indicative of the first document;

by the first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device, finding that the first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device lacks data connectivity to the wide-area wireless communications network;

at a later time, by the first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device, finding that the first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device has data connectivity to the wide-area wireless communications network;

by the first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device, transmitting the image of the first document and the tag and the first numerical information indicative of the first document through the wide-area wireless communications network to the accounting system;

by the accounting system, storing the first image and the tag and the first numerical information indicative of the first document along with information indicative of an identity of the first user;

by a second user at a second location differing from the first location, employing the imaging device of a respective second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to capture an image of a second document;

by the second user at the second location, employing the human input device of the respective second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to tag the image of the second document with one of the plurality of tag texts stored in the memory of the respective second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device and with second numerical information indicative of the second document;

by the second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device, finding that the second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device Jacks data connectivity to the wide-area wireless communications network;

at a later time, by the second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device, finding that the second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device has data connectivity to the wide-area wireless communications network;

by the second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device, transmitting the image of the second document arid the tag and the second numerical information indicative of the second document through the wide-area wireless communications network to the accounting system;

by the accounting system, storing the second image and the tag and the second numerical information indicative of the second document along with information indicative of an identity of the second user;

by the accounting system, causing a first new and different tag text to be communicated wirelessly to the first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device;

by the accounting system, causing a second new and different tag text to be communicated wirelessly to the second hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device;

by the first user at a third location differing from the first location, differing from the second location, employing the imaging device of the respective first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to capture an image of a third document;

by the first user at the third location, employing the human input device of the respective first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to tag the image of the third document with the first new and different tag text stored in the memory of the respective first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device and with third numerical information indicative of the third document;

by the first user at the third location, causing the respective first hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device to commence transmission of the image of the third document and the tag and the third numerical information indicative of the third document through the wide-area wireless communications network to the accounting system;

by the accounting system, storing the third image and the tag and the third numerical information indicative of the third document along with information indicative of the identity of the first user.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the finding of the lack of data connectivity and the finding of data connectivity define an interval, and the interval is at least five minutes.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the interval is at least an hour.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the human input device is a keyboard.

30. The method of claim 26 wherein the human input device is a touchpad.

31. The method of claim 26 wherein the human input device is a touchscreen.

32. The method of claim 26 wherein the imaging device is a camera.

33. The method of claim 26 wherein each hand-held mobile self-powered wireless device is a wireless telephone.

34. The method of claim 26 wherein the wireless telephone is a PCS telephone.

35. The method of claim 26 further comprising the steps of;

by a human user, reviewing each of the stored images and its associated tag;

for each stored image, posting information indicative of the stored image and its associated tag and its associated numerical information to a system of financial accounts.